Over the last few years, Katie Holmes has been in the limelight for her fashion choices more often than her films, but that could all be about to change. On 3 November, Variety reported that the actor will be directing, co-writing, producing and starring in Rare Objects, an adaptation of Kathleen Tessaro’s novel of the same name about a woman attempting to distance herself from her traumatic past. It’s not the first time Holmes has been at the helm of a film – she made her feature-length directorial debut with the sensitive family drama All We Had in 2016, and wrapped her second film, Alone Together, in May. Described as a romance set in a New England AirBnB, the latter stars Jim Sturgess, Melissa Leo and Zosia Mamet.
However, considering her source material, Rare Objects could be her juiciest project yet. Set in Depression-era Boston, Tessaro’s book centres on Maeve Fanning, a first-generation Irish immigrant raised by a widowed mother. Despite her eagerness to better herself, she has a penchant for strange men and bootleg gin which forces her to lead a double life. When she winds up in a psychiatric facility, she develops an unlikely bond with a mysterious young woman who, much like her, desires freedom. Upon leaving, Maeve secures a job at an antiques store catering to Boston’s wealthiest residents – presumably packed with the rare objects of the title – but when she goes to deliver a purchase to a customer, she meets a beautiful socialite who she, recognises as the woman from the hospital. Their lives become intertwined and, captivated by her wealth, Maeve wonders how far she’ll go to reinvent herself.
Production on the film has now begun in New York according to Variety, making a late 2022 or early 2023 release date likely. Brace yourselves for the gin-soaked romances, complex depiction of female friendships and glittering period costumes.
